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| Queen's diamond jubilee celebrations begin with trip to Epsom races | Queen's diamond jubilee celebrations begin with trip to Epsom races |
| (4 months later) | |
| The Queen has kicked off the first major event of her diamond jubilee weekend, driving on to Epsom racecourse before the Derby to be greeted by 130,000 enthusiastic racegoers. | The Queen has kicked off the first major event of her diamond jubilee weekend, driving on to Epsom racecourse before the Derby to be greeted by 130,000 enthusiastic racegoers. |
| Fans in the stands gave the monarch and Duke of Edinburgh a huge cheer as they were driven down the course past the hospitality tents. | Fans in the stands gave the monarch and Duke of Edinburgh a huge cheer as they were driven down the course past the hospitality tents. |
| A spectacular parachute fall by the Red Devils, the British army display team, was staged just before the Queen arrived. The men from the Parachute Regiment made pinpoint landings close to the finishing line, with one soldier carrying a huge union flag. | A spectacular parachute fall by the Red Devils, the British army display team, was staged just before the Queen arrived. The men from the Parachute Regiment made pinpoint landings close to the finishing line, with one soldier carrying a huge union flag. |
| The Welsh singer Katherine Jenkins performed the national anthem, accompanied by the band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines Portsmouth. Ashleigh Butler and her dog Pudsey, winners of this year's Britain's Got Talent, were also part of the entertainment. The royal couple were joined by a large party that included the Duke of York and his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, and the Queen's racing manager, John Warren. | The Welsh singer Katherine Jenkins performed the national anthem, accompanied by the band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines Portsmouth. Ashleigh Butler and her dog Pudsey, winners of this year's Britain's Got Talent, were also part of the entertainment. The royal couple were joined by a large party that included the Duke of York and his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, and the Queen's racing manager, John Warren. |
| The Earl and Countess of Wessex also joined the Queen in her royal box along with the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent. | The Earl and Countess of Wessex also joined the Queen in her royal box along with the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent. |
| Anthony Cane, the Epsom Downs racecourse chairman, said: "At the end of the day, her love is to come here. You have to remember, she comes here in a normal year in a private capacity, not on an official visit. But she comes because she loves it, and this time it's her one trip to Surrey in the diamond jubilee. | Anthony Cane, the Epsom Downs racecourse chairman, said: "At the end of the day, her love is to come here. You have to remember, she comes here in a normal year in a private capacity, not on an official visit. But she comes because she loves it, and this time it's her one trip to Surrey in the diamond jubilee. |
| "Just about everything that can be sold is sold. The hill is a different thing, anybody can walk up there for free." | "Just about everything that can be sold is sold. The hill is a different thing, anybody can walk up there for free." |
| Speaking about the Queen's passion for all things equestrian, he said: "She's incredibly knowledgeable. Her knowledge of thoroughbreds and breeding goes way back. She's absolutely amazing." | Speaking about the Queen's passion for all things equestrian, he said: "She's incredibly knowledgeable. Her knowledge of thoroughbreds and breeding goes way back. She's absolutely amazing." |
| Unlike in last year's race, the Queen does not have a horse entered in the Derby, or the other six featured races. | Unlike in last year's race, the Queen does not have a horse entered in the Derby, or the other six featured races. |
| The event had a carnival atmosphere, with stiltwalkers dressed as guardsmen complete with scarlet tunics and imitation bearskins amusing the racegoers, who were joined by celebrities including Donna Air, Mischa Barton, Phil Tufnell and Matt Dawson. The Great Britain women's hockey team for the London 2012 Olympics was also present. | The event had a carnival atmosphere, with stiltwalkers dressed as guardsmen complete with scarlet tunics and imitation bearskins amusing the racegoers, who were joined by celebrities including Donna Air, Mischa Barton, Phil Tufnell and Matt Dawson. The Great Britain women's hockey team for the London 2012 Olympics was also present. |
| While the Queen was enjoying the racing at Epsom, a 41-gun royal salute echoed across London to mark the anniversary of her coronation. The salute, fired by the King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, coincided with gun salutes fired from official saluting points around the UK, including the Tower of London. It followed the Major General's Parade, which drew crowds to Horse Guards Parade, the site of the daily changing of the guard ceremony where the Olympic beach volleyball will take place in a matter of weeks. After the parade 72 horses and six first-world-war-era 13-pounder gun carriages returned to Horse Guards Parade for the salute, which started at 1pm, lasting just over seven minutes. | While the Queen was enjoying the racing at Epsom, a 41-gun royal salute echoed across London to mark the anniversary of her coronation. The salute, fired by the King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, coincided with gun salutes fired from official saluting points around the UK, including the Tower of London. It followed the Major General's Parade, which drew crowds to Horse Guards Parade, the site of the daily changing of the guard ceremony where the Olympic beach volleyball will take place in a matter of weeks. After the parade 72 horses and six first-world-war-era 13-pounder gun carriages returned to Horse Guards Parade for the salute, which started at 1pm, lasting just over seven minutes. |
| In Scotland, the Queen was given a 21-gun royal salute at Edinburgh Castle. At the other end of the Royal Mile, preparations were under way for jubilee events at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen's official residence in Scotland. A big screen will show the pageant on the river Thames in London and families are being encouraged to bring a picnic. The palace will stay open into the night on Monday, when a beacon will be lit on the roof. | In Scotland, the Queen was given a 21-gun royal salute at Edinburgh Castle. At the other end of the Royal Mile, preparations were under way for jubilee events at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen's official residence in Scotland. A big screen will show the pageant on the river Thames in London and families are being encouraged to bring a picnic. The palace will stay open into the night on Monday, when a beacon will be lit on the roof. |
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